One of the most overlooked weapons in a retailer’s arsenal is not digital marketing or its merchandise assortment but is, in fact, the sales associate. Always considered our industry’s frontline workers, they are often the shortest route to customer loyalty or customer dissatisfaction. It’s not a secret that the customer knows that they hold all the cards, so it’s up to the retailer to meet them wherever and however they want… regardless of location, format, or platform. The very best retailers understand that one size does not fit all and that a highly flexible and personalized approach often wins the customer’s loyalty.
One of my top ten retail predictions for 2021 was that Consumer/Employee behavior will never return to the way it used to be. Now that we have seen the return to shopping in many parts of the country, it’s safe to say this was a very accurate prediction. As Nicola Mendelsohn, VP EMEA for Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) remarked in “The Future of Shopping Has Come Early”,“…This mass digital education of the public has been a cross-generational phenomenon that’s very quickly had a cross-category impact: digitalizing entire customer journeys, from interest to purchase to customer experience.”
Just because you have a customer in your store doesn’t mean that this is the beginning or end of their purchasing journey. They have likely seen a targeted ad on Instagram, researched the product and prices online across multiple retailers, then walked into your store to check it out in person. Are you going to close the sale by offering the best price or—even better—the best service? Or will they leave your store empty handed and head over to your competitor?
The smartest retailers today view their customer service and sales associates as brand ambassadors, employed not just to drive sales but increase loyalty. As Salesforce (NYSE: CRM) called out in a recent whitepaper, 10 Steps to Empowered Customer Service Agents, a “5 percent increase in customer retention can increase profits by 25 percent to as much as 85 percent.”
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What Retail Executives Say About Supply Chain Disruption: Shortages, Pricing and Delays
We partnered with The Wharton Baker Retailing Center to create a comprehensive infographic exploring our findings.
View the Infographic![The State Of Consumer Spending](https://www.firstinsight.com/hs-fs/hubfs/arsenal-studios/assets/images/spacer.png?width=640&height=386&name=spacer.png)
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The State Of Consumer Spending: Gen Z Influencing All Generations To Make Sustainability-First Purchasing Decisions
We partnered with The Wharton Baker Retailing Center and asked consumers in the U.S. how sustainable practices are impacting shopping habits and purchase decisions.
Read the Report![InsightSuite for Small Business](https://www.firstinsight.com/hs-fs/hubfs/arsenal-studios/assets/images/spacer.png?width=580&height=354&name=spacer.png)
InsightSuite for Small Business
Specialized Tools for Small & Emerging Businesses
The fastest and most cost effective way to increase sales, profits and sell-in for growing businesses and digitally native brands.
Learn more![Maximize Value, Speed and Profit](https://www.firstinsight.com/hs-fs/hubfs/arsenal-studios/assets/images/spacer.png?width=575&height=301&name=spacer.png)
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Maximize Value, Speed & Profit
Learn how to leverage Voice of the Customer Analytics and 3D Product Creation to make more profitable products, faster.
Get the Free E-book![Kohl's Creates Value W/Predictive Analytics](https://www.firstinsight.com/hs-fs/hubfs/arsenal-studios/assets/images/spacer.png?width=576&height=364&name=spacer.png)
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Kohl's Creates Value W/Predictive Analytics
Learn How First Insight's Predictive Tools Fuel Kohl's Success
As one of the world's leading omnichannel retailers with more than 1,100 stores in 49 states, Kohl's is leveraging First Insight's predictive analytics solution and voice-of-the-customer data to improve their business.
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Consumer Sustainability Survey 2021
The First Industry-Wide Consumer Study On Shoe Sustainability
This industry-wide survey aims to create a critical baseline that brands and retailers can use to ensure they understand what consumers actually comprehend, what terms and phrases resonate best, and what areas they should prioritize.
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Navigating Disruption
How The Rockport Company is Optimizing Assortments and Pricing with Data + Digital Product Testing
Learn how The Rockport Company created a new product playbook powered by the Voice of the Customer and predictive tools.
View the Webinar & Highlights![HOTTER SHOES](https://www.firstinsight.com/hs-fs/hubfs/arsenal-studios/assets/images/spacer.png?width=546&height=546&name=spacer.png)
HOTTER SHOES ATTRACTS YOUNGER AUDIENCE VIA ‘VOICE OF CUSTOMER’ ANALYTICS
While the Covid-19 pandemic hit most retailers hard, it created uniquely intense challenges for Hotter Shoes. Hotter needed to build up its e-commerce presence and appeal to a new group of shoppers at the same time.
Read the Case Studyat Forbes.com if you are a subscriber or Download the PDF below.